On the 7th, Bloomberg cited sources as saying that the Pentagon plans to conduct the first test of its under-construction "Gold Dome" space-based missile defense system before the end of this year, with a flight test expected in 2027.
In April of this year, the United States Space Force announced that it had signed contracts with 12 companies, including Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and Lockheed Martin, to develop space-based interceptors for the "Gold Dome" system capable of intercepting missiles.
According to Bloomberg, the testing phase will include one ground test, two interceptor flight tests, and a target intercept and kill test expected in 2029.
The report, quoting anonymous sources, said that if the missile interception system's ground test is successfully completed before year-end, the government is prepared to pay $60 million (about 245.29 million ringgit) to the relevant companies. In addition, the US Space Force is expected to begin procurement of systems from the teams that pass the final test starting in 2030.
In May last year, former US President Donald Trump released the development plan for the "Gold Dome" space-based missile defense system.
Trump said that "Gold Dome" will be integrated with the United States' existing missile defense capabilities and, once fully built, will be able to intercept missiles launched from other parts of the world and even from space. The total cost of the system is expected to be around $175 billion, and the plan is for the entire system to be fully operational within three years.